The present invention relates to a toner container for replenishing toner to a developing section included in a copier, printer, facsimile apparatus or similar electrophotographic image forming apparatus.
Generally, an electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a developing section for developing a latent image electrostatically formed on a photoconductive element with toner. A toner container for replenishing toner to the developing section has been proposed in various forms in the past. Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication Nos. 7-5759 and 7-20705, for example, each disclose a toner container including a hollow cylindrical body. The body has a mouth or toner outlet at one end thereof and is formed with a spiral groove in its circumferential wall. An inner cap is fitted in the mouth in order to close the mouth. An outer cap is screwed onto the outer periphery of the mouth over the inner cap in order to prevent the inner cap stopping the mouth from slipping out. This is successful to convey the toner stored in the body to the mouth while agitating it without resorting to an agitator otherwise positioned in the body and therefore to prevent the toner from cohering.
However, the problem with the above conventional toner container is that it is troublesome to deal with the inner cap and outer cap. Particularly, when the toner container is mounted to or dismounted from the developing section, the toner is apt to leak from the container and contaminate surroundings.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 10-149006 teaches a toner container not including an inner cap or an outer cap. Specifically, the toner container is formed with a toner outlet in its circumferential wall. An agitator is disposed in the container for conveying toner stored in the container to the toner outlet while agitating it. This kind of toner container has a problem that it needs a sophisticated structure including the toner outlet and agitator and is difficult to produce and expensive.